Are The Kate Middleton Pregnancy Photos Fair Game?

Earlier this year, Kate Middleton and Prince William went on a holiday to the Caribbean island of Mustique. The time away was supposed to be a restful and relaxing break for the couple before the birth of their baby, but unfortunately, it wound up being anything but. Despite the island’s complete ban on paparazzi, some photographers were able to sneak in and take snapshots of the Duchess in a bikini with her baby bump protruding.

The photographs in question ran in the Italian gossip magazine Chi this week, and not surprisingly, their publication has caused plenty of outrage among the royal family who consider the snapshots to be a gross invasion of privacy. They’re comfortable with members of the general public and members of the media taking pictures of Catherine, but they’re not comfortable with people doing so when she’s in a space that’s been designated as private such as an estate or a secluded beach.

Last year, Duchess Catherine’s topless pictures inspired almost universal outrage from people horrified by the paparazzi’s willingness to invade privacy. With these pictures, however, the response has been mixed. There are some who think people have every right to take pictures of Kate in a bikini on a beach, even if photography is technically banned, while there are others who think she should be allowed to vacation without the entire world watching.

What do you think? Should these pictures have been published? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…